GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (June 1, 2018) – The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies celebrates its 25th Anniversary June 5, 2018 – 70 years to the day that our namesake – former U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall – delivered a commencement speech at Harvard University in 1947. The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies is a 25-year-old German-American security partnership that has produced generations of global security professionals schooled in American and German security policies. Marshall’s speech was only 11 minutes in length, but it was an announcement of one of the largest international economic aid programs of its time, and came to be known as the Marshall Plan. Join us as we celebrate the anniversary of the Marshall Center, named in honor of this distinguished soldier and statesman.

The Marshall Center was founded in 1993 during a period of political and social upheaval in Central and Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.  The Center was initially formed to educate government members of former communist countries about democratic state building, good governance, and the importance of rule of law and democratic institutions.  While primarily focused on Europe in the early years, the Center now conducts transnational programs with participants from around the world.